Father in Chief

For all those "family values" voters out there who oppose Obama, his role-modeling of fatherhood deserves at least a grudging respect, if there is such a thing anymore. A Father's Day slide show from The Huffington Post.

Prop 8 Trial as Made for TV Movie

Maureen Dowd in the NY Times today on the Prop 8 trial closing arguments:

The Federal District Court trial that seems tailored for a made-for-TV movie features the remarkable odd-couple pairing of two lawyers who have already been depicted in a made-for-TV movie, “Recount,” about their rivalry in another historic trial, Bush v. Gore. The conservative Ted Olson now prides himself on being “an honorary lesbian,” and the liberal David Boies now prides himself on upbraiding Barack Obama for not pushing to give gays the same shot at marital bliss — and misery — that people like the president’s parents got when interracial marriage was legalized.

With all due respect to Ms. Dowd, it's an historical moment much too big for the small screen. It needs the theater.

Naomi Klein Lays Bare the Hubris

Naomi Klein in The Guardian on BP in the Gulf:

"Everything is dying," a woman said as the town hall meeting was finally coming to a close. "How can you honestly tell us that our Gulf is resilient and will bounce back? Because not one of you up here has a hint as to what is going to happen to our Gulf. You sit up here with a straight face and act like you know when you don't know."

Nasty Blast from the Past

It's hard not to flinch while reading this 1956 Time magazine article on homosexuality:

The full-grown homosexual, as Bergler sees him, wallows in self-pity and continually provokes hostility to ensure himself more opportunities for self pity he "collects" injustices—sometimes real, often fancied; he is full of defensive malice and flippancy, covering his depression and guilt with extreme narcissism and superciliousness. He refuses to acknowledge accepted standards even in nonsexual matters, assuming that homosexuals have a right to cut moral corners as compensation for their "suffering." He is generally unreliable, in an essentially psychopathic way.

A companion 1950s video on preventing homosexuality:

Kushner's Gift Keep on Giving

Charles McNulty in the LA Times on the enduring impact of Tony Kushner's Angels in America:

If any more proof of the relevance of Kushner's masterwork is needed, look what's become one of the hottest tickets in New York next fall: the Signature Theater Company's production of "Angels," as part of its season devoted to the playwright. The chance to revisit history is certainly one of the attractions, but searing drama is what gets a box office buzzing.